F-35 Program Finds Wings Have a Problem, Working on FixSeptember 09, 2011
 Engineers with the F-35 Lighting II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program discovered a structural problem with the jet's wing. During tests to make sure the fifth-generation stealth fighter meets fatigue requirements, engineers noticed the wing forward root rib was not meeting durability requirements for Conventional Take Off and Landing (CTOL) and Short Take Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL), according to an article in Air Force Times. The root rib is the leading edge of the wing at the point where it meets the fuselage. The aluminum part is supposed to have a life of 8,000 flight hours, according to the article. The engineers, however, test it to beyond its capacity to 16,000 hours. The problem was that the part began to crack at only 2,800 hours, according to Air Force Times. Aviation analysts, however, note that such problems are not unusual while a new design is being tested. Similar problems had cropped up and were addressed during the testing of such commercial stalwarts as the Boeing 787 and Airbus A380 airliners, Loren Thompson, an analyst with the Lexington Institute, told Air Force Times. Joe Dellavedova, the JSF program spokesman, told the news organization that the crack "is consistent with analytical predictions, both in terms of location and life." “Resolving durability test article findings is a well-understood process. Durability testing is conducted early in the development of any new aircraft to avoid costly sustainment issues later in the life of the aircraft,” he said. “Problems are found and corrected in development rather than fleet service.” The F-35s that were affected will be routinely monitored until retrofitted with a fix. |
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